The present invention relates generally to labels and leaflets (hereinafter collectively xe2x80x9cleafletxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cleafletsxe2x80x9d) used with products, and more particularly, to adhesive leaflet assemblies for use with consumer products, especially food products.
The use of adhesive leaflets attachable to consumer products is well known in the art. Very frequently, adhesive leaflets containing product warranties, product use instructions, discount coupons, advertisements, and the like are adhered to consumer products. Such leaflets are often provided as leaflet sub-assemblies which are manufactured on a sheet of substrate material. The leaflet sub-assemblies are releasably adhered to the substrate until they are removed to be attached to consumer products.
Most often, the substrate has at least two layers: a carrier web and a release coating. The carrier web traditionally is a thin, paper-like layer, and the release coating is a waxy, silicone or polymeric substance that is applied to at least one face of the paper-like carrier web by means such as spraying, brushing, laminating, etc.
The above-described adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies generally include the following layers or elements: a first film-like layer, a multi-sheet leaflet and a second film-like layer. The first film-like layer, which is typically made from polypropylene, is coated with an adhesive substance on its back face or underneath side and on its front face or top side. The second film-like layer, which is also typically made of polypropylene, is coated with an adhesive substance only on its back face or underneath side. The leaflet sub-assembly, in its assembled form, is configured so that the leaflet is sandwiched between the adhesive bearing front face of the first polypropylene layer and the adhesive-bearing back face of the second polypropylene layer. A rear sheet of the leaflet flatly rests against the front face of the first polypropylene layer, and the adhesive-bearing back face of the second polypropylene layer flatly and securely rests against a front sheet of the leaflet. The leaflet has a smaller area than the two polypropylene layers, allowing them to contact and adhere to each other at an overlapping portion around the perimeter of the leaflet. These adhesive leaflet assemblies are manufactured and arranged in a single column on a strip of the substrate carrier web by a process depicted schematically in FIG. 1. Paper suitable for printing and having a width in excess of that of the carrier web (hereinafter xe2x80x9cleaflet stockxe2x80x9d) is unwound from a feed roll and fed into a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus can print on both sides of the leaflet stock. The leaflet stock is then fed to a folding apparatus where it undergoes a two-step folding process to produce, for example, a double-folded form sheet leaflet. This leaflet is then fed to a rolling apparatus where it is simultaneously joined with the first and second polypropylene layers as above described. The first polypropylene layer can have been pre-applied to the release coating of the carrier web prior to this operation. During this joining process, the carrier web, with its release coating, and the second polypropylene layer are joined to the double-folded leaflet so that the back face of the back sheet of the leaflet contacts the adhesive on the front face of the first polypropylene layer. Additionally, the second polypropylene layer is joined to the double-folded leaflet, and to the overlapping portion of the first polypropylene layer. The adhesive on the rear face of the second poly-propylene layer contacts the front face of the front sheet of the leaflet and the adhesive substance on the front face of the overlapping portion of the first polypropylene layer. Subsequently, the first and second polypropylene layers and the leaflet, but not the carrier web or the release coating, are subjected to a die-cutting operation whereby a series of cuts made proximate to folded edges of the leaflet and at lines demarcating printed and unprinted areas of the leaflet make it possible for portions of the first and second polypropylene layers and the unprinted portions of the leaflet to be separated from the carrier web and release coating and for the leaflet sub-assemblies, including wing-like extensions of the first and second polypropylene layers, to remain attached to the carrier web and release coating. The carrier web along with the leaflet sub-assemblies is wound up into a roll or folded into a fan-fold stack arrangement (as shown in FIG. 1.1) to form a leaflet assembly for storage and later use.
In use, the die-cut adhesive leaflet assembly carrier strip is fed to and manipulated by mechanical devices designed to cause the leaflet sub-assemblies first to become separated from the carrier web strip and second to become transferred and adhered to consumer products. As diagrammatically shown in FIG. 2, the rolled up carrier strip comprising the carrier web and the leaflet sub-assemblies is fed to a wedge-shaped structure. The carrier web is drawn around a tip or knife edge of the wedge-shaped structure to cause an abrupt change in the direction of travel of the carrier web. This abrupt change, in combination with the stiffness of the leaflet sub-assemblies, causes the leaflet sub-assemblies, and more specifically, the first polypropylene layers thereof, to peel away from the release coating of the carrier web and to become entrained in a vacuum air flow induced by and into an air box apparatus. Once entrained in the vacuum air flow, the leaflet sub-assemblies are drawn toward and briefly held against a perforated plate portion of the air box so that the upper face or top side of the leaflet sub-assembly rests against the perforated plate. The vacuum air flow is suddenly stopped and an air flow inducted by and out of the air box pushes the leaflet sub-assembly downwardly away from the perforated plate and into contact with a product or package that passes beneath the perforated plate.
While the just described adhesive sub-assembly is well suited for a wide variety of consumer products, it is not acceptable for use with prepared and prepackaged food products, especially those products that are sold frozen and subsequently heated in a microwave oven prior to eating. Very frequently, frozen food products are sold in a box that contains a microwavable, open-top tray or dish-like structure into which the food has been placed. The open top of the tray or dish-like structure is covered and sealed by a tightly drawn piece of microwavable film that either wholly or partially remains affixed to the structure while the food contents are microwave heated. It has been found that, when informational leaflets are provided with such frozen food products, it is best to have the leaflet sub-assemblies adhered to the film cover, and it is desirable to be able to leave the leaflet sub-assemblies on the film while the food is being heated. It is also necessary to provide leaflet sub-assemblies that, when they are peeled off the film cover by the consumer, do not leave any portion(s) of the sub-assemblies behind. Leaflet sub-assemblies that have first and second film-like layers made of polypropylene are unacceptable in these respects, because polypropylene, when exposed to microwaves, releases offensive odors and potentially hazardous substances. In addition, the first film-like polypropylene layer tends to remain adhered to the tray film covering when the leaflet is removed from it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,812 issued to Howard (hereinafter the xe2x80x9cHoward patentxe2x80x9d) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,623 issued to Denny (hereinafter the xe2x80x9cDenny patentxe2x80x9d) teach a second type of adhesive leaflet sub-assembly. The type of adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies disclosed by the Howard patent and the Denny patent are structurally simpler than the first type described above. Generally, the type of sub-assembly taught by the Howard patent and the Denny patent comprises a multi-sheet leaflet and only one film-like layer. The single film-like layer is coated with an adhesive substance on its back face. The multi-sheet leaflet includes a front sheet, a back sheet slightly longer than the front sheet and connected to the front sheet along a first transverse fold line, a first further sheet connected to the back sheet along a second transverse fold line, and a second further sheet connected to the first further sheet along a third transverse fold line. The first and second further sheets are disposed between the front and back sheets, and the leaflet sub-assembly, in its assembled form, is configured so that the leaflet first sheet is in contact with the adhesive-bearing back face of the film-like layer.
An adhesive leaflet assembly containing a mass quantity of these sub-assemblies is made by placing a series of strips of the leaflets upon a release coating of a paper carrier web so as to cause the strips to extend transversely of the carrier web. The leaflet strips comprise the leaflets and intermediate bands or portions that serve to connect the leaflets together. The film-like layer, which is a transparent web, is then placed over the carrier web and the strips of leaflets so that the front sheets of the leaflets and the exposed surface portions of the carrier web adhere to it. Additionally, since the back sheets of the leaflets are slightly longer than the front sheets, a narrow margin of the first further sheets projects beyond the free edge of the front sheets and becomes lightly adhered to the transparent web. This assembly of the carrier web, strips and transparent web is subjected to a die-cutting operation in which the strips and transparent web, but not the carrier web, are cut along a series of lines about each and every leaflet, leaving each leaflet attached to the carrier web by two strips of the transparent web, extending beyond the fold lines of the leaflet and transversely relative to the carrier web. The transparent web is then pulled away from the carrier web, taking with it the intermediate bands or portions, but leaving a rectangle of the transparent web material over each leaflet. The carrier web is then slit lengthwise into multiple strips carrying a succession of leaflet sub-assemblies. Each strip with its leaflet sub-assemblies adhered thereto can be rolled up for storage. When the strip assembly is used, it is applied to a leaflet sub-assembly transfer device where the strip is led around a guide presenting a relatively small radius guide surface to the rear face of the carrier web. As the sub-assembly passes over the guide, the relative stiffness of the sub-assembly and transparent web material cause the sub-assembly to become parted from the strip so that the adhesive rear face of the leading edge portion of the panel of the transparent web material covering the leaflet, which leading edge portion runs transversely relative to the strip, is exposed. Simultaneously, the article to which the leaflet sub-assembly is to be applied is moved past the guide and the sub-assembly is thereby transferred to the article as it peels from the strip.
While the leaflet sub-assemblies taught by the Howard patent and the Denny patent may be said to address at least one of the shortcomings of the first type of sub-assembly, i.e., they do not have a first film-like layer that can be left behind on the tray covering film, the Howard and Denny leaflet sub-assemblies are not oriented on their carrier web in a manner that makes them well suited for application to a flat, tightly drawn covering film. Instead, the Howard and Denny leaflet sub-assemblies are oriented on their carrier web so that they may be readily applied to cylindrically shaped food containers such as cans. In view of the foregoing background, it should be evident that a need exists for a method of making adhesive leaflet assemblies that include adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies which can be readily applied to and safely remain on frozen food packaging while the food is heated in a microwave oven and which can be fully and completely removed from the packaging thereafter.
The present invention is a structure for an adhesive leaflet assembly and leaflet sub-assemblies, as well as a method for making and using the adhesive leaflet assembly and the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies with consumer products, and more particularly, with prepared food products that are cooked or warmed by the consumer in a microwave oven. The adhesive leaflet assembly comprises: a strip-like, transparent carrier web having a release coating and a plurality of adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies arranged in a column lengthwise of said carrier web. The sub-assemblies include a leaflet having a front sheet, a back sheet, and at least one further sheet disposed between the front sheet and the back sheet, and an adhesive sheet having a layer of adhesive provided on a back side thereof. The sub-assemblies further have a first wing-like extension and a second wing-like extension, the first wing-like extension adjoining a first transverse edge of said leaflet, the second wing-like extension adjoining a second transverse edge of said leaflet, the first wing-like extension and the second wing-like extension having a portion of the layer of adhesive provided on the back side or underneath surface of the adhesive sheet and securing the leaflet to the carrier web, and the first wing-like extension and the second wing-like extension being disposed longitudinally, or lengthwise, relative to the carrier web.
The method of the present invention generally entails the steps of: placing a preprinted and pre-folded strip of leaflet stock, having a front sheet, a back sheet and at least one further sheet disposed between the first and second sheets upon a thermoplastic carrier web provided with a release coating; applying to the strip of leaflet stock a polyester adhesive sheet so as to contact the front sheet of the strip of leaflet stock with a layer of an adhesive provided on a side surface of the polyester adhesive sheet, and so as to further contact the layer of the adhesive with an edge of the at least one further sheet of the leaflets (the thermoplastic carrier web, the release coating, the leaflets and the polyester adhesive sheet collectively comprising the adhesive leaflet assembly); die-cutting through the adhesive sheet and the leaflet stock of the adhesive leaflet assembly, but not through the homogeneous lamina of the adhesive leaflet assembly, so as to produce a first cut portion of the polyester adhesive sheet and the strip of leaflet stock and a plurality of second cut portions of the polyester adhesive sheet and the strip of leaflet stock and to leave the leaflets secured to the to the carrier web by a first longitudinally extending, wing-like band of the second cut portions of the polyester adhesive sheet and by a second longitudinally extending, wing-like band of the second cut portions of said polyester adhesive sheet, the first longitudinally extending band and the second longitudinally extending band respectively adjoining a first longitudinally extending edge of the leaflets and a second longitudinally extending edge of the leaflets (the second cut portions of the polyester adhesive sheet, the leaflets and the first and second longitudinally extending bands of the second cut portions collectively comprising the plurality of adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies); removing the first cut portion of the polyester adhesive sheet and leaflet stock from the carrier web of the adhesive leaflet assembly; winding up into a roll or fan folded stack the carrier web and the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies; placing the rolled or fan folded assembly on an apparatus for transferring the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies to a plurality of articles; drawing the carrier web and the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies about a guide member included with said transferring apparatus and thereby causing the first longitudinally extending band and the second longitudinally extending band of the second cut portions of the adhesive sheet of the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies to part with the carrier web and to expose the adhesive included on the first longitudinally extending band and the second longitudinally extending band of the second cut portions of the adhesive sheet of the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies; and moving the articles past the guide member of the transferring apparatus so as to cause the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies to the transferred to the articles by a roller means.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for making and using an adhesive leaflet assembly and a plurality leaflet sub-assemblies for use with prepared food products that are cooked or warmed in a microwave oven, wherein the leaflet assembly includes a film-like, strip-shaped carrier web made of polypropylene or polyester instead of a conventional paper carrier web to which the leaflet sub-assemblies are detachably secured.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for making and using an adhesive leaflet assembly and a plurality of adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies for use with prepared food products that are cooked or warmed in a microwave oven, wherein instead of the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies being detachably secured to a paper carrier web and a release coating by a transparent web, that extend lengthwise relative to the carrier web and two opposing transverse opposing folded edges of a leaflet included in the leaflet sub-assemblies, the adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies are detachably secured to a film-like, strip-shaped carrier web made of polypropylene or polyester by two strips of a polyester adhesive sheet that extend longitudinally, or lengthwise, relative to the film-like, strip shaped carrier web and adjacent to two opposing transverse folded edges of a leaflet included in each of the leaflet sub-assemblies.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a less complicated method for making an adhesive leaflet assembly and a plurality of adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies for use with prepared food products that are cooked and warmed in a microwave oven, wherein rather than placing a plurality of leaflet strips transversely upon a release coating of a paper web carrier and later slitting a web carrier along its length into multiple strips carrying a succession of leaflet sub-assemblies, a folded strip of printed leaflet stock is placed lengthwise upon a film-like, strip shaped carrier web and is die-cut to produce a columnar plurality of leaflet sub-assemblies and to thereby eliminate any slitting operation.
It is still a further object of the present invention, to provide a method for making and using an adhesive leaflet assembly and a plurality of adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies for use with prepared food products that are cooked or warmed in a microwave oven, wherein adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies made of thinner, lighter weight and less rigid heat resistant materials than those materials used for heretofore known adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies can be used.
It is also an object of the present invention, to provide a method for making and using an adhesive leaflet assembly and a plurality of adhesive leaflet sub-assemblies for use with prepared food products that are cooked or warmed in a microwave oven, wherein an adhesive leaflet sub-assembly is separated from a film-like, strip shaped carrier web made of polypropylene or polyester more readily and reliably than from a paper carrier web.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent by referring to the accompanying drawings and to the detailed description of the invention provided hereinbelow.